Historically Correct is the name of the new methods blog launched here and populated by observations and comments from Dickinson College history faculty, staff and students. We hope this space will become a forum for exchanging views and insights about historical methods. We also hope that Historically Correct might demonstrate the power of blogging as a tool for learning –something that John Osborne helped pioneer on campus in his History 204 courses.
History@Dickinson
The History Department at Dickinson College provides courses in all areas of world history and with historians who employ a wide array of interdisciplinary and multi-media approaches. All History majors at Dickinson experience a core sequence of methods classes, beginning with the Introduction to Historical Methodology in History 204, continuing to Historiography and Advanced Historical Methods (History 304) and culminating with History 404, a capstone senior seminar.Blogroll
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I think it would be helpful to provide links to all of the various course blogs for the 204, 304, and 404 classes. They can provide valuable historiographical information for students and faculty, and helpful templates of research maps for students starting out in any of those seminars.
Also, PAFT. At all times.
Include information about the Dickinson College Archives and the Cumberland County Historical Society.
The process of interviewing can be an important technique in historical methodology, and it may be beneficial to teach students how to give an effective interview. Professor Rogers could potentially provide a concise outline for how to successfully conduct and then use an interview as a part of one’s research process.
As a fellow Brit, I can only thank Professor Osborne for showing be the clear difference between “crap” historical research, and better than crap historical research. Now with this new website, all history students at Dickinson will be able to have a jumping off point for their historical research that would be worthy of the man himself!
The methods classes would be better taught twice a week for seventy five minutes, instead of once a week for three hours. All of the methods classes I have been in discuss two subjects during class, one before break and one after break. As such, it would be easy to divide the class time in half and create a class structure that meets more per week for less time per individual class. Though I usually enjoyed the discussions in these classes, at the end of three hours, I (and I believe many of my classmates) are inattentive and unable to focus on the matter at hand. Changing the system to two classes that are seventy five minutes long apiece would better enable students to learn and focus.
It may be useful for beginning history majors to show how the methods courses have evolved over time and what is emphasized (or reemphasized) at each stage.
My favorite part of this blog is the timeline of Dickinson College under “Project Archive.” As working in the archives was a large part of my history 304 experience, I appreciate the information available here.
The blog is very insightful, but I feel linking to other blogs (such as Voting- A History) can prove useful as learning tools for all students, even if they do not necessarily focus on core methods classes. They can serve as examples of how to implement history methods in any class.
From past experience researching projects there, I would definitely consider utilizing the wealth of resources at the Cumberland County Historical Society. Also, developing the interviews section is another aspect of the website that I would want to continue to grow especially every time a scholar geared towards history visits the campus.
I tihink it would be helpful for maybe some soer of peer review exchange where senior history majors read and make suggestions on 100 level history essays.